


Boys of Summer

by chibi_nightowl



Series: Casebook of Detective Timothy Drake [2]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Explicit Language, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-03
Updated: 2016-08-03
Packaged: 2018-07-29 01:50:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7665643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chibi_nightowl/pseuds/chibi_nightowl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"This is a special occasion. It’s not every day my favorite detective is wandering around in a wet t-shirt," said Jason with a cocky grin.</p><p>Tim smirked. “Should have been here earlier, I wasn’t wearing one until a little bit ago.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Boys of Summer

**Author's Note:**

> Can be read without reading Beyond Redemption, but then you miss all the build-up! :)

Detective Tim Drake stared in horror at the sign-up sheet his partner, Gannon Malloy, was holding right in his face. “No,” he said emphatically.

Malloy grinned. “Yes. Participation is mandatory for all officers, including detectives.” He shook the paper. “Come on, it’s for a good cause and you know it.”

Tim glared at the sign-up sheet. It was for a good cause, he knew that. He’d photographed the event each year since he started at the precinct. But this year was apparently different.

“Why do I have to participate? I’ve photographed the car wash each year for the last five years. What gives?”

“What gives is that someone saw your scrawny ass without a shirt on a few months back and started a rumor that beneath those hoodies of yours, you’ve actually got some muscle.” Malloy replied, his grin somehow managing to get even bigger.

“I’m a black belt in aikido, of course I have some muscle,” Tim muttered.

“Yeah, well, you’ve been asked to show it off for the greater good. You’ve got a pretty face and a body to match, that should bring in some business!”

Tim snatched the sign-up sheet from Malloy and scowled as he looked at the available time slots. “I swear to God you’ve got something to do with this. I know you’re on the Community Outreach committee.”

“Prove it,” replied Malloy as Tim snatched the pen he was handed. He wrote his name in the only slot left available.

“I’m not the youngest detective on the force for nothing.” Tim glared as he walked away. 

*****

The GCPD Annual Charity Car Wash was a long held tradition across Gotham City. Over the course of June and July, each precinct would host the event for the neighborhoods they served and protected. It was a combination car wash and barbeque, with the entire neighborhood invited. All the proceeds went to GCPD Widows and Orphans fund.

Tim dropped his sponge into a bucket and grabbed the hose. He was almost done with this car and then he was finished. The water was cool, but the sun was hot and he was getting thirsty. No way in hell was he going to drink from the hose though.

The back-lot of the precinct was the perfect place to hold the car wash. There were only two ways in and out, so it was easy enough to direct traffic in one way and out the other. People chatted with the officers as others washed their cars. Kids were given bright balloons. Tim heard there was someone doing face-painting too.

He finished spraying the soap off the car in front of him and went searching for his towel. 

“Think you missed a spot, Detective Stalker.”

Tim froze. No, this was not happening. He looked over the roof of the car to see Jason Todd smirking at him, looking as handsome as ever in a red t-shirt and sunglasses. 

Tim’s world narrowed to one single point. He could hear his heart thudding in his ears. Jason was here. That meant he’d been released from Alfred’s custody (because let’s call it what it was, _house arrest_ ). He blinked quickly, trying to put his world back on its normal axis.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Tim asked crossly. He was tired and hot and not ready to deal with Jason and his…everything. Considering how things were left hanging after the last time he’d seen Jason, Tim wasn’t sure he’d ever be.

“Heard the boys in blue were doing something useful today, so I thought I’d come check it out and put them to work.” Jason gestured over his shoulder to a beat up old Impala in Tim’s previously empty line.

“Screw you,” he said. “You’re only here to make my life miserable.”

“I can do that any day of the week. This is a special occasion. It’s not every day my favorite detective is wandering around in a wet t-shirt,” said Jason with a cocky grin. Tim couldn’t see Jason’s eyes behind the sunglasses, but he knew he was staring at him.

Tim smirked. “Should have been here earlier, I wasn’t wearing one until a little bit ago.”

His smirk turned into a grin as Jason gaped, then pouted. “So not fair, Detective. You wound me, right here,” he said as he gestured to his heart. “And here I thought we had something special.”

Tim hadn’t seen Jason in over three months, not since he watched Batman rescue the Red Hood from a burning warehouse. The night he chose to assist a vigilante rather than uphold the law (and commit arson, nice to see that was at the bottom of the list of issues from that night finally). He started wiping down the car. “I call bullshit on that one. You never call, you never write, what’s a guy to think?”

“I was in fucking traction, that’s what I think.” Jason said as he walked around the car. Tim had ducked down to wipe the doors dry. “Besides, it wasn’t my fault, B and the Dickhead wouldn’t give me a phone.”

“Uh-huh, a likely story,” replied Tim dryly, though he knew every word of it was true. Bruce had actually managed to keep Jason in the Manor for the three months it took for him to recover from the broken leg he got in his fight with Black Mask. 

Jason was leaning against the front of the car, Tim noticed idly. He was keeping his weight off his right leg. “Shouldn’t you have a cane or a crutch? You just got your cast off a week ago.” He moved on to the hubcaps.

“Awe, you do care!” Jason said, his grin growing. “Babs tell you that?”

“I do talk to Alfred on a semi-regular basis,” Tim replied as he moved on to the trunk. Jason followed, still leaning on the car. “So, where’s your cane?”

“Canes are for tools, I left it in the car.”

“I believe the thought behind giving you a cane rather than a crutch was so that you wouldn’t do anything stupid.”

“Like come to a police sponsored car wash?”

Tim stood up as he said, “A police sponsored car wash wearing a red shirt and aviator sunglasses. What are you doing, advertising?”

Jason sighed, leaning more obviously against the car as he crossed his arms and stared intently at Tim. “Like I said before, no one would give me a fucking phone. Today’s the first time I’ve been able to get out of the house. Alfred gave me the clothes.”

Tim raised an eyebrow, a move he totally stole from the stoic butler. “I doubt he gave you the clothes to come to a car wash at the back of a police station.”

“No, he knew. Alfred knows everything; you’ve been around long enough to know that. He’s the one who told me about this in the first place,” Jason replied, gesturing to the event still going on around them. 

Tim moved around to the other side of the car, ducking down again to wipe down low. This was Jason’s first day out after his enforced stay at the Manor and the first thing he did was come to a police station to see him. The thought blew his mind. 

Working together to take down Black Mask had been an eye-opening experience. They had many shared experiences growing up in the shadow of the Batman and while Tim didn’t see eye to eye with him on killing people, he did understand that sometimes, the system just won’t work for some people. Him asking Jason to help find Tyler’s and Isaac’s murderer was proof of that.

But more importantly, Tim had realized his childhood crush on Jason, on Robin, had never really gone away. It had lain dormant for years, only having a chance to grow again when he and Jason had partnered up. Every little thing he learned, every moment they had worked together, all the teasing and flirting had been replayed over and over again in Tim’s almost eidetic memory. 

Jason asking Tim to be his partner.

They hadn’t had a chance to talk at all since that night. Tim put off going to the Manor again and again. First his own injuries kept him away (thanks Bruce), then getting reassigned to cold cases for the next several weeks as his wrist healed (he’d solved five, a new record which almost got him reassigned permanently). Excuse after excuse, though he did make a point to at least call Alfred once a week.

As Tim pondered the events that led them to this moment, Jason had followed him around the car, still leaning against it. Tim glanced up. “Good thing I’m not waxing this thing, you’d have left a mess.”

Jason looked a bit shame-faced for a moment, but stayed quiet, just watching Tim as he toweled off the rest of the car. Tim tossed the towel over his shoulder as he stood up. “Ok, I’m done here. Let me flag down the owner, and you can move you car up.” He gave a small smile. 

Jason smiled back, just as tentatively as Tim. “No problem. Grab you something to drink?” he asked as he pulled away from the car and moved slowly towards his. The limp was obvious, as was the pale and still withered looking leg compared to his good leg in the shorts he was wearing. 

“Water bottle. The lemonade’s too sweet.”

“You got it, Detective.”

*****

Tim gave Jason an overturned bucket to sit on while he got started with the beater. He wondered where Jason got it (and if he even owned it). It was dusty, which led Tim to believe it had been sitting in a garage for a while. Perhaps it was one of Jason’s get-away cars. He idly wondered what he’d find if he tried opening the trunk or looked under the hood.

Under the hood. Well, he certainly knew what was under one hood. He glanced over at Jason. He was sitting awkwardly with his right leg sticking straight out. The angle did not look comfortable, but Jason refused to go eat with the others at the picnic tables or even use his cane. Tim was certain he’d have to help the bigger man up when he was done.

The thought made him shiver. He’d been passed out the first time Jason had ever touched him. And stripped him. And put him to bed.

Tim could feel Jason staring at him, even when he passed out of his line of sight and around the car. Perhaps…perhaps he could have some fun with this. 

Coming around the other side, Tim dropped the hose, angling it so that he got a good soak before it hit the ground. Ok, perhaps not that much water should have sprayed him in the face as he coughed. 

Jason laughed loudly. “Having issues there, Detective?”

Tim grinned. “No more than usual,” he replied as he pulled his shirt over his head to wring it out. He smirked at Jason, who’d stopped laughing rather abruptly at the sight of a shirtless Tim. 

If that wasn’t a stroke to Tim’s ego, he wasn’t sure what was. He knew he was lean and had some muscle, but he didn’t think he was all that much to look at. Jason though…Tim was so tempted to wet Jason down just to see him shirtless too.

But, as Tim bent over to pick up his bucket of soapy water, he realized that probably wasn’t a good idea. There had to be some rather…interesting…scars on Jason. The Red Hood didn’t need to be advertising more than he already was.

He started scrubbing and stealing glances at Jason, who had finally shut his mouth. 

“Hey, Rookie!” a voice shouted. Malloy came trotting over with his camera (which was no where near as good as Tim’s, but there was no way in hell he was lending it to anyone). “Look’s like your shift is almost up, let’s get a picture for posterity, shall we?” 

Tim glared over the roof of the car. “I had better not see this picture in the office newsletter.”

“Newsletter? Come on, I was thinking the calendar!”

A new voice interrupted. “Calendar huh? And what month would Detective Timmy be?” Jason was smirking. 

Malloy looked over at Jason as Tim let out a groan. “A fan of the rookie?”

Jason pulled off his sunglasses and gave Malloy one of his shit-eating grins and flashing those amazing blue eyes of his. Tim loved that grin. It was the adult version of his Robin grin. And his eyes…“We go back a ways.”

Malloy looked intrigued. “Is that so? He doesn’t like talking to me about his friends…”

“…I wonder why?” Tim interrupted, throwing his sponge at Malloy.

“Hey, watch the camera, Drake!” Malloy fumbled the sponge as he almost dropped the camera. Tim had good aim.

Jason laughed, clearly enjoying the spectacle. “You’re Tim’s partner Malloy, right?”

“Yeah,” replied Malloy, throwing the sponge back at Tim and hitting the car instead. He made a face at Tim’s smirk. “Since January.”

Tim dunked the sponge back in the bucket and rolled his eyes. “Fine. Malloy, this is Jay. Jay, this is Malloy. I’m getting back to work so I can get out of here.” Having made introductions, he turned back to the car.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t paying attention though. He’d seen the look on Malloy’s face when he’d called Jason “Jay”.

Malloy didn’t disappoint. “You’re Jay?” he asked in an excited tone.

“The one and only.” 

“More like the only one. You’re the guy that called and sent that picture of Tim a few months back. How the hell did you do that? His phone’s locked up tighter than Fort Knox.”

Jason laughed. “Come on, he has Touch ID set up. Think about it.”

There was a pause, then a loud burst of laughter from behind Tim. “Oh, that’s hilarious! Drake, really?”

“I’m ignoring you both,” replied Tim as he continued scrubbing. Inside, he was laughing too, but more at the fact that his partner, the respectable detective, was laughing it up with one of the more notorious vigilantes in the city. What would Malloy think if he knew exactly whom he was making nice with?

Come to think of it, Jason was probably finding this funny too.

“All joking aside, Jay, you’re the only person I’ve ever heard Drake talk about besides his parents. It’s nice to see he has a friend.” It was a serious statement delivered in a light tone. Tim knew that voice. Malloy was fishing for information.

“I’ve known Tim off and on for several years now. We’ll go months without talking, then start back up like it was nothing.” Tim felt the dig there. He ignored it.

“Yeah? What kind of work do you do, Jay?” asked Malloy. Tim snorted. This was gonna be good.

“I’m outta work right now actually. Busted my leg up pretty bad a while back and just got the cast off last week. Got a lot of PT to get through first.” As Tim rounded the car, he could see Jason gesturing to his leg.

Or not. Jason rather neatly deflected Malloy’s question.

“I broke my leg once,” Malloy said, sympathy evident in his voice. “It was the best thing in the world when that cast came off, though it kind of creeped me out at how withered and wrinkly the skin looked.”

“No kidding! The PT is brutal right now, I’ll be glad when it’s over.”

“Shouldn’t you have crutches or a cane or something?”

“Cane’s in the car. I hate that thing.”

“Can’t say I blame you. So, any plans for rest of the afternoon?” Tim scrubbed harder.

“Nothing much. Was hoping the good detective here is free for the rest of the evening though. Got some catching up to do.” Looks like Jason knew how to play Malloy’s game too. 

Malloy laughed. “I’ll just bet you do. The rookie’s in the clear when he’s done with your car. In fact…” As Malloy trailed off, Tim looked over from where he was stretched out scrubbing the hood. “Now there’s a money-shot,” he said, lowering the camera.

“Seriously?” Tim said, putting down the sponge and grabbing the hose. He held it loosely and made a vaguely threatening gesture with it towards the two men. 

“Nuh-uh, I’ve got an expensive piece of electronics here, you wouldn’t dare!” shouted Malloy. 

“Come on, Detective, you wouldn’t hit a guy while he’s down, would you?” pleaded Jason.

“You’re both wusses.” Tim started spraying down the car, the sound of the water against the warm metal drowning out any conversation he may have been able to hear.

Setting down the hose, Tim grabbed his towel (he was smart and laid them out to dry somewhat between cars) to finish up.

“…come on, it’ll be great. I’ll make sure to send you a copy too,” he heard Malloy say to Jason.

There was silence for a moment, then Jason replied. “Sure, why the fuck not?”

“Thank you! Hey, Rookie, come here a second.”

Tim sighed and whipped his towel up over his shoulder, irritation showing in his actions. He didn’t miss how both men watched the movement. Malloy had his camera up and snapping a shot before Tim could say anything. He looked at Jason and said, “I’ll send you this one too.”

“What are you two doing?” he asked before Malloy reached out and grabbed his arm, shoving him in Jason’s direction. 

“Say cheese.”

*****

It had been hilarious, watching Jason and Malloy exchange phone numbers so that Malloy could send the pictures he’d taken to Jason. Tim noted that the number Jason gave Malloy was different from the one he had. Which one was real? Did Jason have a personal line and a Red Hood line? 

He chuckled softly at the thought, the image of Jason as the Red Hood sitting behind a desk in full gear with his feet up taking calls like a secretary suddenly popping into his mind.

After Tim’s shift at the car wash was over, he and Jason agreed to meet back at his apartment. It went unspoken that they had some topics they didn’t need anyone overhearing.

Tim made his escape pretty quick, telling Jason to stop somewhere and pick up something to eat. He’d always hated hot dogs and refused to eat at the barbeque. He was glad for the little extra time this afforded him as he was in desperate need of collecting his thoughts.

The cool water from his shower, which he normally found soothing on a hot day, wasn’t helping. Tim’s thoughts were racing. He liked Jason; there was no lying to himself about that. Or rather, he liked the person Jason was when he wasn’t wearing the hood. 

That Jason was funny, sarcastic, very intelligent, charismatic and cocky as hell, and so damn handsome it was a sin. 

The other Jason though…the Red Hood was brutal, uncontrollable, very intelligent, and had a rather Hammurabi sense of justice. 

Nice to see that intelligent made both lists. 

Tim slammed his fist against the tile in his shower, groaning in frustration. He had gone to the Red Hood first, knowing exactly what he was doing when he’d done so, and compromising his integrity as a sworn officer of the law. The moral and ethical ramifications of this still plagued Tim months later.

And yet…here he was about to have an early dinner with the man behind the mask.

God, when he’d told Malloy his relationship with Jason was complicated, he really hadn’t been kidding.

Tim sighed and turned off the water. Stepping out of the shower, he grabbed his towel to dry off. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he stepped out of the bathroom just in time to hear something slam from his kitchen, followed by someone cursing.

Jason.

Opening his bedroom door fully, Tim looked out across his living room to see Jason fumbling with some bags in the kitchen. He couldn’t see what the bigger man had dropped though.

“Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?” he asked, a wry smile on his lips as he leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed.

Jason looked over at Tim, jaw dropping for the second time that afternoon. He recovered quickly. “I did. You fall asleep in the shower?”

Tim shook his head. “No, just a lot on my mind. Give me a minute to get some clothes and I’ll help with whatever.” 

As he turned to go back in his bedroom, Jason said, “No need to get dressed on my account, stalker. You look just fine to me.”

Tim flipped him off and closed the door.

*****

Tim stared in horror as Jason started eating his chilidog. The sounds he made as he enjoyed each bite were borderline obscene. He shuddered. 

At least Jason hadn’t gotten him one, but the fajita cheesesteak was just as messy and artery clogging. And so damn good.

“How did you know I liked these?” Tim asked around a mouthful. 

“Dickiebird,” replied Jason, swallowing his mouthful. “He told me stories about you while I was laid up. Said you love those things but rarely eat them so that you can keep your girlish figure.”

Tim snorted, almost spraying soda out his nose from the sip he’d just taken. “That last part doesn’t sound like something Dick would say.”

“Nah, I was reading between the lines.”

Tim laughed. It was so easy, sitting here with Jason, bantering back and forth, talking about little things. “What other things did he tell you that I need to be concerned about?”

It was Jason’s turn to laugh. “You’ll have to wait and see, stalker.” He smirked.

Making an exaggerated groan, Tim rolled his eyes and went back to his food. A random thought crossed his mind. “You catch up on any TV shows?”

“Yeah, I did. The demon brat made me watch _Game of Thrones_ , which was fucking awesome, and I checked out that show you like. Sherlock’s so twitchy he kinda looks like Dickiebird when he’s trying to stand still.”

Tim laughed. “So does that mean you like it?”

Jason took a sip of his soda. “Yeah, I did. The cliffhanger at the end of season 3 was killer and I haven’t watched season 4 yet.”

“I’ve got it on my DVR,” Tim offered tentatively. “Perhaps you can come over some night and watch it.”

Jason looked at Tim a moment. “I’d like that.”

The rest of the meal was shared in a companionable silence.

They cleaned up, all the wrappers going in the trash and washing their hands from the messy but delicious food. 

It was time to talk. No more putting it off. 

“You want a beer?” asked Tim as Jason made his way slowly to the sofa. 

“Sure,” he replied, sitting heavily and rubbing at his thigh. 

Tim quirked an eyebrow. “Looks like you may need some pain meds instead.”

“Nah, I’m good. It just aches. Think I may have overdone it a bit today.” Jason sounded tired.

“You think?” Tim turned back to the kitchen and grabbed two beers from the fridge and twisted the caps off. He was glad he’d taken the time to grocery shop this morning before the car wash. His fridge had been pretty bare.

Going back to the living room, he handed a beer to Jason and curled up in his recliner. 

Jason shook his head slightly as he took a sip. “Not bad. Not too hoppy. Kinda fruity.”

Tim shrugged and took a sip of his own. 

He didn’t know where to start and it was apparent Jason didn’t either. They drank in silence for a few minutes.

Tim took a long breath and let it out slowly. Now or never. “I was really surprised to see you today. I didn’t think that coming to see me would have been high on your list of priorities once Alfred gave you the all clear.” 

Jason shrugged. “I had a lot of time to think. And Dick, well, he told me he’d talked to you about what happened. He wanted to hear my side.” He stopped, looking like he wasn’t sure where to go next.

“And?” prodded Tim gently.

Jason chuckled. “That was quite the new asshole you tore for Bruce.” He sighed and leaned back into the sofa and looked directly at Tim. “But you were right. We’re all tools to him. And we all use each other just as much as he does. I…I used you just as much as you used me.”

“I thought that was obvious,” responded Tim wryly.

“Yeah, I guess it was.” Jason shifted again. Tim couldn’t tell if he was just fidgety or if his leg was bothering him.

“You can put your foot up on the table if it helps your leg.”

Jason looked surprised for a moment. “Nah, it feels good to bend my knee all the way. Gonna be a while though before I’m playing rooftop tag with anyone.”

“PT helping at all?”

“Surprisingly, yes,” Jason replied, rubbing at his right thigh. “Just not as fast as I’d like. Your stepmom can be a real dragon.”

Tim choked. “Dana is your physical therapist?”

Jason laughed loud and long. “You didn’t know? Come on, I’d have thought Alfie’d tell you. Or Dick. Hell, even your stepmom.”

Tim laughed too. “Nope. Not a word.”

“Go fucking figure.” Jason shook his head, still chuckling a bit.

“Is it really a surprise though? You guys keep secrets for the sake of keeping secrets. Or blackmail material. Dana at least has a patient confidentiality agreement that keeps her from saying anything.”

A thoughtful look crossed Jason’s face. “Secrets…yeah, I guess you’re right about that.”

Tim didn’t say anything, just took another sip from his beer and waited.

Jason took another sip as well, shaking the bottle back and forth lightly and watching the liquid swirl around. “I really don’t know where to start.” 

“Me neither. But, I do know that this…” Tim gestured between the two of them and then to his apartment, “…this is easy. It’s awesome and fun and I really like just hanging out. Out there though…” Tim waved his hand towards his window, “…that’s where it gets complicated.”

“Is it complicated with Dick or the demon?”

“Damian is his own special brand of complicated. Dick…Dick is like the big brother I always wanted and never got to have,” Tim replied thoughtfully. He cast his gaze downward, looking at his coffee table instead of at Jason. “But again, that’s in here. Out there…out there he can’t be.”

“Because out there he’s Nightwing and you’re a cop.”

Tim nodded, slowly. “I’m a cop. He’s a vigilante.” He looked back up at Jason, blue gaze meeting blue gaze. “I’m a cop. You’re a vigilante.” 

“And not just any vigilante, but the Red fucking Hood.” Jason shook his head. “I should have known better. It’s just…I didn’t expect it to be so easy with you either. You know but you’re not all judgy like B is. You don’t give me the sad kicked puppy face that Dick does whenever I shoot someone.” Tim could feel the frustration coming off Jason in waves.

“I get it,” Tim said quietly. “B doesn’t have to deal with the day to day. He doesn’t have to deal with due process failing over and over again. Overcrowded prisons and a parole system that’s a fucking joke.” He felt tired suddenly. So much more tired and just done than he ever had before. He shifted, sitting up suddenly and resting his feet on the floor and bracing his arms over his knees to just fold over on himself.

“I…I want to say yes. So badly. Just say fuck it all and climb out that window and never look back.”

Hunched over as he was, Tim couldn’t see Jason’s reaction, but he heard the sharp intake of breath. Heard rustling, a soft thud, and some shifting. 

A warm hand gripped his shoulder, pushing at him to sit up and raise his head. Tim moved and saw Jason’s face just inches away. He didn’t move his hand.

“Tim…don’t. Don’t give it up. You’re better than all of us.” Jason’s gaze held Tim, not letting him go. “I’m a selfish bastard, always have been.” He huffed a small laugh. “I always want what I can’t have.”

Tim glared at Jason. “What about what I want?”

“You just said it yourself. Detectives and vigilantes don’t exactly run in the same circles.”

The sad look on Jason’s face hit Tim like a punch in the gut. He made his decision. “Fuck that shit,” said Tim fiercely and he surged forward, angling his head to meet Jason’s lips in a demanding kiss. 

For a moment, Jason didn’t respond. Then, he sobbed a moan or a growl, Tim couldn’t quite tell which, and kissed back. 

Tim was in heaven. He didn’t care that the kiss was rough, neither one of them giving an inch in their quest to dominate the other. He nipped at Jason’s bottom lip, eliciting another growl from the bigger man. Jason abruptly hauled Tim from the armchair, dragging the man over to the sofa where Tim suddenly found himself trying to find purchase on the man’s lap.

He gasped, Jason taking advantage of the opening to start kissing along Tim’s jaw and down his neck. Tim moaned, the heat from Jason’s lips felt like he was being branded. Finally getting himself situated, Tim found himself straddling Jason on the sofa, arms wrapped around his neck and fingers digging into Jason’s dark hair.

Jason nipped at his neck, tongue laving a spot that was sure to leave a mark. Tim moaned, a guttural sound that turned into as gasp as Jason switched sides and started moving back up his neck to meet his waiting mouth.

Kissing Jason was nothing like Tim had ever dreamt of. It was fierce and wild and so bloody hot Tim felt like he should be lighting on fire any moment.

Slowly, the kiss started turning into smaller and smaller kisses. Little pauses between each one as the initial rush flowed out of their systems. Hard nips turned to gentle nibbles until finally they pulled away, foreheads resting together and but still so close Tim could feel the wet warmth of Jason’s breath, both of them breathing hard.

Tim could feel Jason grin. “Damn, stalker. That was…wow.”

Tim huffed a gentle laugh. “You’re telling me? I’ve been wanting to do that to you since I was 12.”

Jason laughed and pulled Tim in so that he was resting his head in the crook of Jason’s neck. “Started rubbing them out to Robin pretty early on then?”

“Well, it’s not like those green panties really hid anything.”

They both laughed at that and relaxed even more into each other. Tim amazed yet again at just how at ease he was around Jason, how easy it was. At how easy it could be.

Tim sighed and buried his face into Jason’s neck as reality stepped in and raised her ugly head. 

Jason apparently was following the same train of thought. “Reality is a bitch, isn’t it?” he said morosely.

“No arguments there.”

“So what happens now?”

Tim pulled back and looked at Jason, their faces still so close that Tim could see the green flecks in Jason’s blue eyes, still dark from their shared moment of passion.

“Now? We show reality what stubborn assholes we really are and make this work.”

Jason grinned, his smile bright and cocky and oh so Robin. Tim grinned back and leaned in for another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a one-shot interlude between Beyond Redemption and the next big story. That is still a work in progress without a firm ETA on when it'll be done. Probably because I got distracted with another chapter story that is almost done! This new story will be completely unrelated to this series and will be another AU where Tim's path took a left instead of a right. Should be up in a couple weeks, then I'll hunker down with the next big case featuring Detective Tim!
> 
> Until next time! :)


End file.
